Made possible in part by the Idaho Humanities Council.
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, The Community Library will host a series of five reading/discussion programs in Ketchum that will explore the experience of the Vietnam War through history and literature. The programs will be comprised of lectures and discussions led by three Idaho scholars. Two lectures will explore the history of the war, from French colonialism (1946-1954) to the arrival of American troops in Da Nang in 1965; two lectures will explore presidential power and Constitutional challenges to civil liberties; and the last presentation will explore the Vietnam War experience in an iconic work of literature.
The Community Library has a limited supply of two books available on loan to the first 25 participants who sign up. Others are free to purchase copies on their own. Participants are encouraged to read all materials in advance of the sessions to ensure the richest discussions.
The program is FREE of charge, but advance reading and registration is required.
To register and/or borrow books, contact Scott Burton, (208) 806-2621,
or email Scott at sburton@comlib.org
Tuesday, March 15: “The Vietnam War and Civil Liberties.” Discussion led by Dr. David Adler.
This discussion examines the various First Amendment issues that arose during the conduct of the Vietnam War. Among other topics, we will explore the landmark Pentagon Papers Case and freedom of the press, as well as free speech issues: freedom to dissent and protest against the war; conscientious objector’s cases; draft-card burning, and flag desecration. If time permits, we will review Fourth Amendment implications of governmental surveillance of protest groups under the Nixon Administration.
Scholar bio: David Adler is President of The Alturas Institute, a non-profit organization created to promote civic education and civil dialogue. He has taught courses on the Constitution and the Supreme Court at all three universities in Idaho, and he remains an adjunct professor of Law at the University of Idaho College of Law. He is the author of several books and more than 100 scholarly articles and essays that have appeared in some of the leading journals of his field. He is also the recipient of a number of awards, including the Idaho Humanities Council’s 2010 award for “Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities.”
Reading List:
Mark Atwood Lawrence, The Vietnam War: A Concise International History. New York: Oxford UP, 2010.
Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
